French bank Société Générale has outlined proposals to slash its net number of roles by 1,800 over the coming years.

The bank claims that it will do so not through redundancies, but by retraining existing employees and transferring them to other parts of the business.

Describing the move as “favouring internal career moves,” the bank said it will leverage “internal mobility” and “the development of employees’ skills” to support staff whose existing roles are at risk of being eliminated.

Société Générale didn’t detail the types of roles that could be affected by these changes but said that the change would occur within the framework of the measures set out in an Employment Agreement signed on in December last year with three trade unions.

The bank has proposed making the job cuts between 2026 and 2027.

These proposed job changes form part of a wider strategic roadmap being implemented by Société Générale to increase sustainability across its organisation. Announced in September 2023, the plans are aimed at simplifying operations, increasing efficiency and reskilling employees at the bank.

The latest phase of the roadmap, which includes the role net reduction proposals, is a so-called “organisational simplification” project conducted by 2,000 employees throughout all areas of the bank.

According to the bank, its employees came up with thousands of ideas to “optimise tools and procurement, simplify processes and structures, pool teams, and strengthen automation and the use of artificial intelligence”.

The bank also wants to undergo what it calls an “organisational revolution”, in which it aims to simplify the way it operates to become “more efficient” and “agile”.

The bank claims the move is to better serve clients. Société Générale said this would affect how much of its headquarters operates and how it organises retail banking regionally, though its branch network will stay the same.

When it comes to retraining staff, the organisation plans to establish a mobility and skills campus. Focused on driving internal mobility, it will be designed to help staff forge and succeed in new careers at the bank.

Many of the new skills that staff will be required to acquire will be taught through the Société Générale University.

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